You Say The Church Is A Building. I Say Go Out to the Streets

I got to thinking this morning about church. Or what a lot of Christians these days seem to think church is. You see all through the bible the church is referred to as the body of Christ. Us, people, followers of Christ, we are the church.

Yet in modern day society the church has somehow become a building that you go to on Sundays to ‘supposedly’ learn about the word, fellowship with other believers and sing songs of praise. But if you don't go to this building every week (or even twice a week) how can you call yourself a Christian? you are straying off the path and turning evil if you don't want to go each week and sit and listen to a bunch of judgmental people tell you how evil everything is and how we should fight against said evil by coming to church each week, shouting condemnations at the world and not letting our children watch TV or leave the house without a crucifix in their hand and a bible in their pocket.

It’s not hard to see where this view of the church comes from. Even outside the church you can see it. Look on the internet site youtube there are sermon post from pasters like Rob Bell, songs from Christian bands like Underoath. And hundreds of comment from Christians saying how evil these people are, how they are heretics of Christ. Rob Bell hangs around gays and lesbians and says you don't have to tithe 10%, Underoath are a screamo band! They have long hair and play at rock concerts with drug users and alcoholics... In the book of Matthew Jesus said, it is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick... For I have not come for the righteous but the sinners.

Both Underoath and Rob Bell are doing what God called them to do! Rob Bell is using the modern day medium to reach so many hurting people and showing them the love of Christ rather than the condemnation of the church. And Underoath sing some of the strongest lyrical praise song to God, the most humble, soul crushing truths. They pray before sing at concerts in front of thousands of angry people who have been abandoned and criticized by the church yet rather than revolt and throw the band off stage, the crowd is silent for the band has earnt there respect by accepting them and not preaching down there necks.

I ask you, why is it that to go to church is to be holy and righteous, but to hang out with drug addicts, and convicts and the gays makes you evil... That doesn't sound like Love?

When you want to set someone free rather than going to be with them in the
darkness - where you're light will shine brighter and be seen so much clearer - you invite them to come to your church, to sit and watch the freaks sing and dance, all the while feeling judged and condemned because their hair is long and they did not heed the altar call or fall down when the pastor touched them.... Does that seem right to you?

Let’s face it church. The building you go to on Sundays is not made for saving others, it is not even made for worshiping our Lord - as it was once intended - it is made for you and you alone. That you may feel good about yourself, that you may be made to look righteous and so that you yourself be saved. Safe inside you house of God away from the sinners and the ever darkening world, just you and your fellow believers...

I tell you the truth by living in your building and by being so close minded, you save no one, especially not yourself.